The great Pyramids

Egyptian side Pyramids see off Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa to win their first-ever African Champions League crown

- MARK GLEESON

Egypt's Pyramids became first-time winners of the African Champions League at the end of a gruelling campaign where their grit and opportunism saw them become the 27th club to take the continent's top club title.

Victory over South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns was secured in Cairo as they won the second leg of the final 2-1 for a 3-2 aggregate triumph, having scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser in the first leg eight days earlier in Pretoria.

Pyramids had also come from behind at home to edge out South Africa's other representatives Orlando Pirates in a riveting semi-final with two goals from the Congolese striker Fiston Mayele, whose haul of nine - including three in qualifying - meant he finished as the competition's top scorer. It was his strike after 23 minutes of the second leg that also proved decisive, the sort of opportunistic effort that carried Pyramids through.

But that is not to say they were lucky. Far from it; Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic, whose touchline fervour was a spectacle all of its own, got the tactics spot on, particularly in the first leg where their high line and pressing disrupted Sundowns' ability to play their usual possession game. So much so that opposing coach Miguel Cardoso was forced to make a midfield change before half-time of the first leg at home. It wrestled back some control and, given their territorial dominance, they were deservedly in front after their Brazilian playmaker Lucas Ribeiro scored nine minutes into the second half.